Tractor mounted winch



Feb. 1, 1944.

R. B. MAGEE TRACTOR MOUNTED WINCH Original Filed April'30, 1942 Eefier-Zfijla ee INVENT R ATTORNEY Patented F ab. 1, 1944 TRACTOR MOUNTED WINCH Robert B. Magee, Findlay, Ohio, assignor to The Buckeye Traction Ditcher Company,

Findlay,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application April 30, 1942, Serial No.

1 Claim.

This invention relates to power control units or winches particularly for mounting on earth working tractors for actuating the scraper blades of bulldozers and trailbuilders.

An object is to provide a power control unit of the above character with a new and improved drive which enables the unit to be operatively connected to a power shaft of the tractor engine easily and without substantial change in structure of the tractor thereby facilitating assembly operations and reducing the cost.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear and for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown on the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a planetary type winch and driving connections therefor, the same being shown mounted on the front end of a trac- Divided and this 1942, Serial No. 450,738

tor, so much of the latter being shown as to enable the invention to be understood and Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation partly in section showing the winch and its operative driving connection with the tractor engine crank shaft.

Referring to the drawing, l5 designates a cross member of the frame of the usual crawler type tractor, such cross member being at the front end of the tractor frame and secured to the front of the cross member I5 is an upright plate l6 which is disposed slightly in front of and in the main, below the engine radiator indicated at R. It will be understood that the grille for the radiator R is arranged in front of the latter and bows outwardly therefrom. Fixed to one side of the plate i6 and secured to the front face thereof is a bracket piece II which has a curved front face l8 conforming in general to the configuration of the grille beneath which it is disposed. The bracket has a forwardly extending portion l9 and secured to the front outer end of the portion is is a plate which provides a front face or wall for the winch housing. A bottom wall piece 22 is welded to the lower end of the plate 20 and the wall portion 22 curves downwardly and thence extends rearwardly to the upright mounting plate It, these parts being secured together in any suitable manner, as by bolts (not shown).

Preferably secured as by welding to the rear face of the opposite end of the front plate 20 is a casting 24 which has an inner curved portion 25 which also conforms to the shape of the radiator grille and is disposed directly below the same. Rigid with the casting 24 and extending laterally therefrom in spaced relation are plates 28 and 21. Pivot pins 28 and 29 are suitably application July 13,

26 and 21.

The power control unit or winch generally indicated at W is of the planetary gear type and is equipped with a cable drum 30, clutch drum 32 and brake drum 8i Engaging the clutch drum 32 is a clutch band 34 and embracing the brake drum 3| is a band 33. The detail construction of the winch forms no part of the present invention and a general description thereof is therefore considered sufiicient. For more detail understanding of the construction and operation of the power control unit, reference is hereby made to my co-pending application Serial No. 420,174, filed November 24, 1941, and entitled "Power control unit."

Description of the mechanism for operating the bands 33 and 34 is not given because the same forms no part of the present invention but reference is made to the above co-pending application wherein adequate description of the structure and operation is set forth.

One important feature of the invention resides in the ease by which the power control unit W is operativeiy connected to the power shaft of the tractor. Asshown, the driving shaft 41 for the winch W is mounted in an anti-friction bearing 48 carried by the upright mounting plate It. On the rear side of the plate It is a gear casing 49 which is suitably bolted in place. Within the gear casing and fixed to the shaft ll is a ring gear 50 with which a pinion 5i meshes. The pinion BI is carried by a stub shaft 52, which is journalled in anti-friction bearings 53. Fixed to the stub shaft 52 is a coupling part 54 which has a splined connection with an elongate coupling part 55. The coupling part 55 has a flange 56 which is secured by bolts 51 to the fan pulley 58, the latter being fixed to the engine crank shaft 59. It will be understood that the crank shaft 59 is the main engine crank shaft for the tractor and the fan pulley 58 is the usual fan pulley mounted on the end of the engine crank shaft, such structure forming a part of the ordinary tractor.

The particular form of coupling connection can be varied as will be readily understood and if desired, a flexible coupling could be employed to advantage. It will be evident that the simplicity and ease by which the winch is operatlvely connected to the power shaft, in this instance the engine crank shaft 59, enables the connection to be established within a minimum period of time. It is further manifest that the operative driving connection is such that the number of parts is reduced to a minimum, thereby reducing the cost of the installation as well as the upkeep and repair.

This application constitutes a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 441,125, filed April 30, 1942, entitled Tractor mounted winch."

a driving shaft parallel to and in advanceof ssid crankshaft, a plate secured to said cross member and extending upwardly therefrom. an aperture through said plate and bearing means in said aperture supporting the rear end of said driving shaft, means extending forwardly from said plate for supporting the forward end of said driving shaft, a gear casing secured to the rear face of said plate, an internal ring gear secured to the rear end of said driving shaft within said gear casing, a pinion meshing with said ring gear and secured on a stub shaft extending rearwardly through bearing means in the wall of said gear casing, and a spllned coupling between said stub shaft and said sleeve member on the crankshaft.

ROBERT B. MAGEE. 

